A Few Dead Monkeys
by Who Is Caligula
Summary: The mossy mountains of Eletania hide a remorseless foe.
1. Turian

A Few Dead Monkeys: A Mass Effect Story

By Who Is Caligula (2007)

Dedicated to Bioware

Part I

Turian

The caves were extremely dark and stuffier than expected. There was a sour fecal odor that even Garrus Vakarian's airtight helmet could not damper. His boots splashed the murky water around his ankles, creating more echoes than he would have normally preferred during a stealthy infiltration. Still, the team moved cautiously and everyone seemed to do well watching their sectors and covering all room openings. This may have been a cave, but there were still structural patterns and expectations that would allow them to progress in an orderly fashion.

It was always easier when Commander Shepard acted as team leader.

"Hey, let me ask you something".

It took Garrus a second to realize that the casual request had been directed at him. He'd been a bit surprised to hear Chief Williams speaking to him in such a relaxed manner. On the one hand, they were in the middle of a mission, and an attack could come at any moment. However, the complexities of human etiquette and societal norms often left him befuddled. Human expectations changed so much depending upon contextual cues, he was unsure if he would ever feel truly comfortable among humans.

"What is it, Chief?"

"I was just wondering if you make a habit of murdering primates", she asked. The Chief's question clearly had an undercurrent of aggression, but Garrus was unsure if this was intended as a joke or if she was making a serious inquest.

"I'm not sure what you mean", Garrus answered truthfully.

"Well, there's monkey blood all over the Mako's treads. You were the one driving, as I recall-"

"I didn't see the little beasts sitting there when we came over the hills. If they were smarter, they'd have jumped out of the way when they heard the rover coming. Mako isn't a stealth vessel, her engines can be heard from dozens of meters away".

"I get the feeling this planet doesn't see many rovers crawling over the hillside. I guess it's not like you blasted them with a pistol, though. Nevermind."

Garrus suddenly understood the Chief's concerns.

"I'm sorry I killed the monkeys. It was an accident, but I suppose I should have realized you'd feel exceptional sympathy for them, since they are primates. I don't make a habit of needlessly slaughtering animals, despite whatever Turian stereotypes you might have."

"Garrus, I'm not-"

"We've got a job to do, Chief. For someone with your rank, it wouldn't hurt to show a little more professionalism once in a while".

He immediately recognized his error, but knew it was too late to correct it. Chief Williams was extremely aggressive and eager to prove her competency to others. She did not take constructive criticism well, even from her CO. Actually, Garrus considered the Chief to be his equal in combat. She was just a showy little human trying to prove to everyone that her great skill justified her military rank.

But Garrus knew it took more than skill to make someone worthy of a promotion.

"Back at ya, pal", came the hushed quip. Williams probably didn't want her pointless chatter to distract Shepard, who was wading through a deeper puddle ahead of them with her weapon sighted. Garrus had hoped Shepard's efficient and professional nature would rub off on the officers that were under her command. It certainly had rubbed off on him. Chief Williams hadn't seemed to improve much since he'd first met her on the Citadel, though. It was too bad. She could handle a shotgun as well as any Krogan. Unfortunately, she could also handle a piece of helpful advice as well as any Krogan.

"Hey, while we're getting along like old chums, maybe you could watch my back while I check up on the commander's status? Thanks a bunch".

With that, the Chief darted past a stack of cargo bins and headed in the depths of the cave. With a gentle sigh, the young Turian stripped his pistol from its holster and checked its functionality, twisting it in his gloved hands and glancing down the sight. He hadn't used this pistol in some time. There was a fresh batch of ammunition on board the Normandy, but he didn't take the time to bother with petty upgrades. Maybe he should have, but it was only a pistol, and not even his favorite brand. It was a minor concern, though.

_Guns don't win the battle. Only those who know how to use them._

Words that seemed true when Garrus first heard them back in training, and they seemed to ring with even greater truth as his own skill improved.

"Garrus, is everything alright in there?"

His com hissed with the voice of that little Quarian girl, her lyrical tone contrasting sharply with the Chief's brusque words. He preferred Tali's company over that of anyone else on the Normandy, even if she was a little mysterious and strange. She made for a fascinating conversationalist during down time, when she wasn't busy working with delicate tools or intricate devices that far surpassed Garrus's mechanical skills.

"We're fine, Tali. If any of these little monkeys grabbed the data module, I'm willing to bet it's somewhere inside the caves".

"These creatures are all over the hillside. What makes you so sure it's in there?"

"Remember the monkey corpses we found on the probe?"

"Yes".

"Corpses suggest a battle. If these critters fought for possession of the data module, it's safe to assume the spoils went to the victor. And the victor was probably the strongest monkey, right?"

"Right. So you think the strongest animals would probably control the most desirable territory, like this cave? Easier to defend the nesting ground from predators".

"This is where I'd want to settle down. If I were a monkey, at least".

"Hm. That's very sharp of you, Garrus".

"I pay attention to the details. They don't just let anyone become a C-Sec investigator".

Garrus realized that he probably could have thanked Tali for what might have been intended as a compliment, but decided the appropriate time had already passed. Security officers understood timing, even if they didn't understand perfect etiquette for every culture and species. That was the domain of the asari, not his.

"Well, I'll be out here if you need me. I'm going to make a pass, see if I don't run into another one of those monkey colonies. But your logic is sound Garrus, I'm sure you'll find something in the cave".

"Don't go too far, we might need you if something comes up. Shepard thinks the geth will be looking for the module, too. Stay sharp".

"I always do. See you later, Garrus."

Yes, he had to admit a growing fondness for the little Quarian. She was sharp and a determined survivor, even when the odds were against her. Garrus couldn't really admire Tali as a soldier or leader. Not like the commander. But then, not everyone can be a commander, can they?

The Chief was another story, though. Garrus was certainly no grizzled war veteran himself, but he remembered the adventures of audacious Turians in his younger years. They might have been skilled, but their carelessness got them into plenty of trouble. Most of them grew out of it, of course, but the single mindedness of Ashley Williams was a matter of some concern to him. Garrus didn't really care much for the little human's surly arrogance. Chief Williams was a soldier above all else, and looked awkward outside of the battlefield. Still, it was better to stand guard in a quiet cave than sit on the Normandy and review after-action reports written by the people who worked to accomplish the mission.

Keeping Shepard's exit secure was certainly no minor task, though. She knew Garrus was an experienced combatant; Shepard has considerable expectations of every member of her crew, and he wasn't about to let his commander down. Even more importantly, he wasn't going to let this mission fail.

"Garrus? It's Tali, are you there?"

Garrus heard the radio crackle, and the grip on his pistol tightened when he heard the urgency in Tali's voice.

"I read you, what is it?"

"The geth, they're here. I didn't see anything, but I heard their ship's engines not far away. I think they're headed your way".

"Are you sure?"

"I know the sound of the geth better than my own heartbeat, Garrus. Whatever you're going to do, do it fast".

"Copy that. Try to stay clear for a second".

"Alright".

Garrus was impressed. Tali was not only skilled in reconnaissance, she kept a level head even when things started to heat up. He took less than two seconds to switch to Shepard's channel.

"Commander, we've got company".

"Geth?"

"Tali says she heard an inbound geth dropship".

Garrus heard what sounded like the Chief's unnecessary retort through the slight static, saying something like "God bless that little Quarian". Normally, he'd prefer more tangible evidence that might be provided by scanning technology, but Garrus had a great deal of trust in Tali's abilities, and so did Shepard. He listened intently, awaiting his commander's orders.

"We've got the module. Tell Tali to stay put and await my orders, we're on our way".

"Roger that".

Garrus switched back to Tali's channel. He sometimes felt like he was an extension of Commander Shepard's arm. He wasn't sure if he liked the feeling or not.

"Tali".

"Yes, I'm here".

"Commander wants you to stay put for now. We'll clear the area and radio for pickup when we're done".

"I'm already on my way, Garrus".

"What?" Garrus spoke, his voice bearing blatant surprise. "I told you to stay clear".

"I thought you meant the radio", Tali responded defensively. "Keep the channel clear in case you needed to speak to me".

"I meant to keep clear of the caves, away from the geth if they land here", Garrus inhaled sharply, and tried to clear his thoughts. Tali wasn't really a soldier. Her lack of professionalism was not unlike that of the Chief's, but at least she was more cooperative.

"I'm sorry, Garrus. I'm not going to just stand by and let the three of you get swarmed by the geth".

"You'll have to explain that to Shepard later. Can you at least try to keep your distance until we have eyes-on?"

"Will do. I don't see any-"

"Tali? What is it?"

"Looks like they're are already closing in on your position. I see geth armature, and some infantry. About a dozen or so, it's hard to see at this range-"

"Alright, good work. Just try to keep the Mako outside their firing range until Shepard tells you otherwise, alright?"

"Thanks, Garrus. I will".

The com clicked off.

Garrus took another breath, and holstered his pistol. He heard footsteps splashing through puddles of varying depth, echoing through the caves. The Chief and the Commander would be here in a moment.

There was a gentle buzzing sound, like that of an insect. The splashing quieted as two figures slowed their advance. There was a brief silence. Instead of a mediocre pistol, Garrus now wielded the Tsunami IV assault rifle. He wasn't crazy about Ariake Technologies, but they made a great line of omni-tools. In any case, this rifle would serve him better in a large scale conflict that some stupid pistol. It felt more satisfying in his hands, gave him the surge of energy he once embraced back on the Turian training grounds.

The light of the cave was too scarce to make anything visible but Garrus's sturdy, angular silhouette. It was enough for the approaching pair to recognize him, though. The distinctive body shape of a Turian left no room for misperception. Shepard and Williams knew that it was not a human standing before them. In fact, Shepard did not seem to think of Garrus as a Turian, either. He was simply Garrus.

Tall. Efficient. Professional.

The threesome exchanged only a brief glance in the harsh cave light before heading down the tunnels, towards the exit and the battle that waited for them.


	2. Human

Part II

Human

Gunnery sergeant Ashley Williams took three deep breaths when she stepped into the sunlight. She knew the air she breathed, despite its nutrients, was not really ideal for humans. That was why she was sealed in her suit like a crate of nonperishable foodstuffs. Although she was perishable, she wasn't going to perish anytime soon.

That was her hope, anyway.

"Garrus, how far away is she?" Ashley asked, shifting uncomfortably in her thick armor.

"I told her to keep out of firing range, but she won't take long to get here".

"Yeah, and neither will the geth. If you-"

"Quiet. Listen", came the crystalline commands from Shepard's environmentally sealed armor system. The three of them probably looked like a colorful trio of faceless space jockeys. The fertile fields and lush hillsides of this world made them look even sillier, like a group of heavily armed soldiers that could gallop through the grass, singing and dancing like something out of a musical comedy vid.

"Armature. They must be getting close", came the turian's humorless observation.

Sadly, Garrus was right. There was nothing musical or comedic about the squad's present circumstances. They'd been scouring the planet for several hours, rummaging through packs of freaky-looking space monkeys in search of an important data module the Alliance wanted. That had been the easy part. Not more than a minute after locating the module in a dark cave had they become aware that hostile forces had been spotted only a few clicks from their present location. To make matters worse, the Quarian they'd entrusted to pick them up outside the cave was nowhere to be seen. Even if the geth hunting party couldn't locate them in time, they couldn't stand out in the open indefinitely. The air on Eletania, while rich in oxygen, was laced with microscopic organisms that could induce anaphylactic shock if even a single unfiltered human breath was taken.

"See anything?" Shepard spoke in her smoothest stay-cool-because-I'm-in-control-of-the-situation voice. She sounded relaxed, like she could have been enjoying a hot beverage in the mess hall. Williams had to look at the commander to convince herself that she was in fact standing alert, a shiny firearm where the disposable cup should have been.

"Nothing on scanners", Garrus croaked back.

Williams had grown very fond of her commanding officer ever since joining the Normandy's crew. The conditions of their meeting could have certainly been better, but serving under this smart, talented officer made the fulfillment of even minor objectives deeply rewarding. It was like everyone on the Normandy wanted to be a part of Shepard's shore party, even when the anticipated danger of the mission was extreme. Commander Shepard was like the hard-boiled badass every soldier wanted to be. She could be frisking a huge turian pirate one minute and administering first aid to an injured child the next. News vids spoke of her like she was some kind of superhero, and there was no question that if any human was qualified to join the Citadel's elite Spectres, it was Shepard.

Besides, it was fun to see the Turian councilor getting all flustered about letting a human into their proud little unit. Williams had to bite her lip to keep herself from shouting obscenities at the councilor whenever she accompanied Shepard to the Citadel Tower. Maybe the tower's soft lighting and cherry blossoms had worked its seductive magic on her.

"There they are. Still outside of firing range".

Williams glanced at the sleek helmet that encased Garrus's pointy head. Even in full armor, he looked very alien. Maybe even more so, since the helmet prevented her from gazing into his beady little eyes.

"Geth armature confirmed. They've got infantry, too. Looks like Tali was right", the turian sounded more like a cop than a soldier, his sentences chopped into neat little blocks stacked proudly in the air. He was staring down the length of a sniper rifle, an admittedly excellent tool for maintaining situational awareness in these vast, mossy hillsides. The business end of the rifle pointed toward an extended ridge in the distance. Ashley wished she could see the enemy herself, but she trusted Garrus enough that Tali would arrive in the Mako long before the geth got into firing range.

This was really pushing it, though.

"If they haven't spotted us yet, they will soon. Grab some cover", Shepard gestured several meters ahead of their present location, where the hill was crowned with several boulders that would provide adequate concealment from probing geth eyes.

Or visual scanning systems, or whatever the damn things had for eyes.

Ashley and her alien ally took cover behind a large boulder several meters away from the cave entrance, while the team leader relaxed her weight against another rocky protrusion. Even with a heavy pistol in her hand and enemy forces en route, Shepard was a model of military professionalism. Even on the rare occasion Shepard made a joke, Ashley had never seen her smile or laugh. Maybe it was the professionalism that earned her so much respect as a leader.

Ashley was glad she wasn't the team leader. She knew Shepard's experience on the battlefield made her far more qualified for such responsibilities. Besides, less time spent commanding meant more time for shooting.

"I hope Tali didn't run into those things. She should have been here by now", Garrus hefted the sniper rifle in his hands, and pointed it approximately where the enemy had last been spotted.

Ashley frowned at the "Level 1" atmospheric hazard warning on her heads-up display. It was only a matter of time before some heartless corporation set up shop here, maybe stuck a nice big bubble on the surface, and charged tourists hundreds of credits a day to enjoy the scenery. They'd probably start seeing big profits before the end of the first fiscal year. Hell, she'd have been happy to plop down a few weeks pay just to spend her next shore leave here. It was easily one of the prettiest planets she'd ever set foot on.

"Commander, I've lost contact. They must be further down in the hills, request permission to advance and reestablish contact".

"Negative, Garrus. Just stay down for now, we've got high ground on 'em".

"Yes, Commander", Garrus replied quickly to conceal his disappointment. The turian was a bit like Ashley, perhaps. He didn't like the idea of sitting still. He wanted to find the enemy before they found him. Shepard's experience was easily greater than that of both of them together. The woman knew what she was doing. Parents must have enjoyed showing news vid footage of Commander Shepard to their kids. A perfect role model, and not just for kids.

Sharp. Strong. Inspiring.

Ashley couldn't help smirking despite herself.

Her grin faded when she glanced back at the atmospheric hazard indicator. Not much time left.

"Maybe we should fall back to the caves, at least time would be on our side", Williams spoke to no one in particular.

"No, they'd just box us in. But if Tali doesn't get here soon-"

Garrus silenced himself when he heard the approaching roar of a machine. Ashley felt her pulse flicker, and she had already gone weapon sighted when she recognized the sound as the Mako's angry grinding during a sharp climb.

Finally.

"At least she got here before the geth", Garrus remarked plainly, the tip of his rifle peaking out from the edge of the boulder. Garrus clearly was not a trained soldier of the Alliance military.

"Garrus, keep your head down", Ashley grunted at the turian squatting beside her.

It was good that Ashley had bothered to glance at him at all. It gave her a full second to react upon seeing the narrow beam of red that hovered inches away from Garrus's angular skull. He was just about to offer his justification for peering out beyond the safety of the rock, when Ashley grabbed him by the collar of his armor and yanked him towards her with all her might. He instantly lost balance, and fell to his side, obviously surprised by the sudden violence of his supposed teammate.

The thicker burst of red sizzled through the air before Garrus could even summon a protest from his lipless beak. It was all the explanation he needed, luckily. Garrus righted himself beside the Chief, and the two remained pressed against the rock while Ashley shouted to her commanding officer at the nearby boulder.

"Taking fire, Shepard! Geth snipers!"

Shepard barely flinched, raising her voice slightly as though the two were merely greeting each other in a noisy department store.

"Down below?"

"Negative! Fire was parallel with the ground we're on, Commander. Must be on a nearby ridge, got us right in their sights".

"Copy that. Mako is on approach. You and Garrus get on board".

Ashley didn't like this command. To her, it suggested her life was more valuable than the commander's, which she knew to be untrue.

A shadow fell over the pair's mossy cover. Garrus offered to cover Ashley as she boarded the Mako, but she responded by grabbing his collar and practically shoving him ahead of her.

A faster vehicle might have taken much longer to reach them at the top of the hill. The clunky rover was easily one of the best vehicles Ashley had ever been in. It could handle deadly inclines, treacherous terrain, brutal weather conditions, sustained small arms fire, and still look ridiculously cool. The Mako was the perfect complement to Commander Shepard's efficient and direct approach to problem solving.

The turian, quarian, and human were a tight squeeze for the tank-like rover's already cramped interior. But the Mako felt quite barren without Commander Shepard inside. There was a loud click as the airtight entrance sealed shut, and the trio was cast into what felt like total darkness.


	3. Quarian

Part III

Quarian

"Shepard's a few meters that way, Tali", Chief Williams pointed after tapping the quarian driver on her slender shoulder. Tali's signature environmental suit appeared almost skin-tight, but she could last indefinitely in harsh atmospheric conditions while her companions could not. It was a pretty good technology, especially when one took into account the desperate, shoestring budget of its design process. The suit kept her safe from the lethal organisms that would ravage her unique immune system, a synthetic skin that would block the invading viruses and bacterial strains that most other life forms could fend off with barely a troubled cough.

Eletania was different, though. All the microorganisms that drifted through Eletania's air were practically fatal if anyone in Shepard's party inhaled them. Their conventional, factory-made environmental suits could only protect them from such dangers for only a limited time, while Tali's homemade suit offered virtually limitless protection. Combined with its powerful kinetic barriers, the little quarian could take quite a bit of heat in battle before risking any rupture in her suit.

"We should return fire on those geth. At least it will keep them busy while the commander gets on board", came the familiar rasp of a turian voice. Like many turians, Garrus was a man of action. Tali appreciated his value to the team, even if she did find him somewhat cold and narrow-minded at times.

"I'll take the guns", Ashley sprang into action without hesitation. She was an Alliance soldier, and Tali could tell she was just as dedicated to their cause as Garrus.

Tali felt vibrations against her back and legs as the Mako's coaxially-mounted machine gun danced in Ashley's nimble hands.

Eletania's rolling hillsides and verdant valleys presented a wonderful mixture of interesting obstacles and beautiful terrain. Tali had to admit that it was a pleasant world to drive around, especially early in the mission when there had been no geth to worry about. Even at the plateau of this hill, the surface was dotted with boulders just large enough to prevent her from picking up too much speed. For once, Tali would have preferred a very plain surface to drive upon, if only to ensure the safety of Commander Shepard.

"There she is, Tali. Bring us in", came Garrus's firm command.

Tali swerved the Mako around one of the rock formations and drove straight toward the rock Shepard was using as cover. It was heavily charred and blistered on one side, and it continued to chip away under constant small arms fire. A clean grey surrounded Shepard, though. She was standing at the one side of the rock that none of the geth could easily fire upon.

Not yet, anyway.

The Mako came to a halt, and Garrus leapt outside, shouting through the sounds of battle as his commanding officer remained stalwart against a steady stream of incoming geth fire. Tali couldn't hear them, but she could see what was going on from the Mako's driver seat window.

Garrus flailed his arms at Shepard, but Shepard remained still. Tali peered through the airborne dust and shattered rock fragments, and saw Shepard with a rifle in hand, her back pressed against the safety of the rapidly degrading piece of natural cover. She shook her head at Garrus, and shouted something that Tali could not hear.

"Armature!" Ashley shouted, the only person who remained inside the Mako with Tali. The Mako's thick hull and formidable shields could keep them safe from most of the geth's weaponry. Geth armature, however, was a living tank designed to destroy heavy vehicles. Tali could not help but marvel at how much progress the geth made since rebelling against their quarian creators just a few centuries ago.

"Ashley, Shepard's pinned down. Can you take out that armature before it gets any closer?"

"Not at the angle you've got me at. We need to either rush that damn thing or just pull back and try to protect Shepard".

Tali and Ashley were not of the same race, but the very notion of protecting Commander Shepard seemed alien to them both. Ashley was an amazing soldier, but without an orderly chain of command, Tali feared the woman might stutter in the chaos and ambiguity of battle. Tali might not have formal military training, but she did have advantages that her companions did not.

She sprang from her seat and took up a position beside Garrus, using the Mako's bulk as temporary cover. Tali had done this so quickly, she could barely hear the Chief's objections from deep within the Mako's interior. Then again, the sound of incoming fire was quickly becoming louder and more intense. Tali was the youngest member of this team, but she knew the geth like a mother knew her son. She knew the geth would surround them and kill them in a matter of seconds. They were as fast as they were efficient.

"Tali, what are doing? You'll get us all killed!"

"What's Shepard doing?" Tali had to shout almost as loud as the outraged turian to be heard over the rhythmic chorus of incoming geth fire. Garrus had an Elkoss sniper rifle in his hands, but he grasped it close to his chest as if he knew the weapon was nearly useless in this fight but found some comfort in clutching it tightly. She had never seen him afraid before. Whether he was more concerned about his own safety or the commander's, she couldn't be sure.

"That armature is headed our way! Get back in the Mako and pull it closer so she can get in!"

Tali considered this situation. The armature would be capable of ripping Shepard apart with a single blast, but even the Mako would only be able to absorb a few hits before its kinetic barriers died. Garrus believed that by bringing the Mako right beside Shepard, she could use it as cover and board safely. This would probably work, but it left everyone else vulnerable to attack. Even now, Ashley was a stationary target and Tali did not intend to leave her for long. Even worse than that, it would take time to bring the Mako closer, and time was not on their side.

"Tali, what are you doing!?" Garrus practically screamed at Tali as she darted out into the open, her tiny physique flitting like an insect across the grassy battlefield. Despite her best speed, a barrage of fire surrounded her before she even reached the commander, and her suit's kinetic barriers flickered blue as the battery rapidly depleted. Free of the relatively confined spaces of the Mako, Tali made one final jump through the air toward Shepard's cover. She exhaled, curling herself into a smaller target and tumbling a full meter before halting the roll at the sight of Shepard's armored boot.

The crew of the SSV Normandy knew of Tali's abilities, and sometimes even acknowledged them aloud in her presence. As a quarian, however, she was still a source of great suspicion and mistrust. The human engineers she collaborated with on board the ship did not hold any special love for her, and even Commander Shepard seemed reluctant to accept her as one of her crew. They had ample proof of her abilities, and Tali had initially suspected that her youth might make her seem more vulnerable. None of those things really mattered, though.

All that mattered to them was that she was a quarian.

Exile. Vagabond. Criminal.

She was not terribly surprised when she felt the commander grab her by the wrist and yank her violently to her feet, and saw her lips pursed and eyes full of scorn. Nor was she disappointed that Shepard focused on the immediate danger, and kept still and quiet despite the murderous advance of the geth infantry. Tali did not expect gratitude for her actions. She had grown largely accustomed to sitting on the sidelines, or in the background, where she could serve her role without people having to look at the dark visor that concealed her face. Tali was silent when she rubbed her sore wrist, activating her omni-tool and readying a deployable tech mine which would render any geth weapons within its blast radius temporarily inoperable.

A shred of blue light flickered in front of her, and Tali did not have the egocentrism necessary to gloat about confirmed suspicions of the geth attack patterns. They were now surrounded. Tali and Shepard would have several seconds to make their move, if they were lucky.

A second streak of blue passed them, but it was accompanied by the hollow echo of a micro-mass accelerator sniper rifle. Tali did not need to glance behind her to know that Garrus was picking off geth with his long range weapon. It might be helpful in covering their side, but they were still several meters from the relative safety of the Mako.

"Go on, Shepard. I'll cover you", Tali could barely hear her own voice over the sound of incoming fire, but it hardly mattered. They were out of time.

"Are you kidding? I've had enough of your stupid heroics for one day!"

It was a very harsh response. Tali had risked her life to reach Shepard, but it had been for nothing. If she had to die today, at least it would be for something worthwhile.

"When I give the signal, you make a run for the Mako! Understood?" Shepard commanded Tali with the precise clarity of an experienced leader.

"Yes!" Tali immediately cried out in response, trying to conceal the crackle of anguish in her dry throat.

"Wait for it-" Shepard's words were cut short by Garrus's second shot, a precise blast that sent an advancing geth trooper toppling down the hillside.

Before embarking on her pilgrimage, Tali had been warned that she would be regarded with great suspicion during her travels. She wished she had taken these warnings more seriously. It was difficult to truly understand prejudice until it had been experienced firsthand.

There was a sharp tearing sound as the big boulder began to crumble under the punishment of merciless gunfire.

_Only the victim knows the crime_, Garrus had once told her. Tali suspected that the turian did not see the truth depth of such words the way she did. Maybe it was a cultural thing.

"Go, get moving! Get over there!"

Tali could barely understand Shepard's words through the noise, but she instantly sprang into action. She fired a tech mine at their most vulnerable side, and one of the approaching geth tracked it, watching it with its hooded "head". The synthetic soldier did not show any sign of fear or appreciation for the mine's effect. He ignored it when it struck the nearby ground, and picked up speed when he saw Tali and Shepard at the rock, barely dodging Garrus's sniper round as he made his approach.

Several rounds were fired before it finally collapsed, a pile of lifeless cold metal on the soft green moss.

Tali briefly lowered her pistol, and glanced back at the commander, who sat against the broken boulder clutching her leg.

"Shepard's hit!" she shouted, waving to Garrus ineffectually. Garrus appeared dumbstruck by her words, as if he'd just witnessed some rare astronomical phenomenon. He steadied his rifle as he rose to his feet, glancing at the Mako as if trying to determine whether to risk running toward the two of them or hopping into the vehicle and pulling it closer. The second option would have left Tali and Shepard exposed to even greater danger, since Ashley could not use the Mako's guns to cover them until Garrus drove her closer.

No time.

Tali holstered her pistol and shook herself free of fear like a varren in a mud puddle. She lifted Shepard's heavy frame and steadied it against her own. Ignoring the commander's struggles and barely audible shouts of protest, she aided Shepard as they made a sluggish journey to the stationary vehicle. Blue flickered around them as incoming fire quickly drained their shields. Tali wanted to return fire, but knew she could not afford to slow down. She was only halfway to the Mako when she felt something punch her exposed shoulder. She hoped it had only been a grazing round, but ignored the waves of pain and continued to support Shepard as she lumbered onward.

Almost there.

A salvo of light peppered the front of her visor, but she kept moving, her hunched posture offering her a view of little more than the charred grass and mud. Her tiny frame strained against the weight of Commander Shepard, fully equipped for battle in her thickly armored combat suit. The entire picture must have seemed like an absurd reversal for Garrus, who was now using his assault rifle to discourage their pursuers from advancing too quickly. She hoped it was working, if only for a few more seconds.

When at last she saw the treads of the Mako, Tali set the commander down against its hull and let out an imperceptible wince. For once, she was glad the Mako's machine gun was so loud. Ashley's support was probably the only thing that had been keeping the bulk of the geth infantry off their backs. Garrus offered to help Shepard to her feet, but Shepard hobbled aboard on her own and extended her hand to the turian instead. Tali tried not to make too much of a show as she rose to her feet again, and did not flinch when she saw the moss sizzle at her feet. Shepard shouted something through the noise, and Tali grasped her hand as she climbed aboard. It might as well have been a part of the Mako, it felt so hard and solid to her little fingers. The sound of battle seemed very far away once the door clamped shut. There was sharp jolt in Tali's seat when the Mako's 155mm cannon fired. It was a powerful, unapologetic sound.

"Armature down!" Chief Williams declared with no effort to dampen her pride. "The rest of them are probably retreating. If we step on it, we might be able to run 'em down before they escape".

The four of them climbed into their seats without words, with Shepard taking over Tali's temporary position as the Mako's designated driver. The symbolism was all too apparent for the young quarian. Tali tried to steady her breath, relaxing the muscles that were sore with tension. She quickly noticed it in her face, right shoulder, lower back, and feet. Her right shoulder seemed like the worst, and Tali suspected that she'd been shot or hit by shrapnel. Garrus probably noticed her grasping at it, because he was the first to break the silence.

"Tali, you've been hit. Need medi-gel?"

"I'm fine".

"Crap", came Ashley's traditional follow-up remark. "If the Quarian's suit got breached, we're gonna have to rush her off to get help. I don't know if Chakwas is equipped to handle something like that. Commander, we might need dustoff-"

"I'm fine, really", Tali tried to quiet the Chief down, already embarrassed to have been the subject of a post-battle conversation for more than a few seconds. She studied the gash in her suit, and was relieved to find that it had only been a shallow rupture. She would probably be sore for a while, but some bruising was acceptable to her. More than acceptable, after the mess she'd caused on this mission. She'd be lucky if Shepard ever asked her to leave the ship again anytime soon.

"Anyone else hit? Ash?" Shepard spoke up over the muted crescendo of the Mako's awakened engine system.

"I've been pretty comfy in here, Commander. Garrus?"

"I'll be fine. I'm more worried about the commander".

Garrus had been right, though. Whatever injuries or hardships they might have endured were nothing. Commander Shepard's health was of the utmost importance, and with good reason. If anything happened to her, Saren might never be stopped and countless lives could be lost. Tali had no illusions about her importance within the social hierarchy of the Normandy.

"Just a scratch. Looks like we're clear", Shepard noted the lack of red hostile blips on the Mako's long range sensor systems. They weren't really "long range" sensors, but Tali was still unaccustomed to the level of technology and polish that permeated every facet of her journey with the commander. No wonder people treated her like a beggar wherever she went. They were all spoiled, taking their expensive luxuries for granted.

Tali sighed noiselessly.

"There was another anomaly you wanted to investigate, Commander?"

"It can wait", Shepard dismissed the Chief's reminder with a wave of her gloved hand. Even armored, Shepard's hands looked incredibly powerful on the Mako's steering wheel. "That mission got a bit messier than I'd planned. Joker?"

"Ma'am?" came the pilot's voice, so clear he might been an invisible entity in the vehicle.

"Ready for evac".

"Copy that. ETA six minutes".

The com clicked off, and Tali was once again alone in her guilty silence.

"You've got the data module, right? Chief?"

Chief Williams sat in the front passenger seat, and although Tali's gaze was downcast, she could hear the shuffle of armor and synthetic fabric.

"No, where is it!? I thought you had it, Commander!"

"Relax, Chief. It's a joke. I've got it".

Williams exhaled sharply and let her posture relax. Tali glanced at Garrus and saw the angular flaps surrounding his cheekbones flicker slightly. Was he smiling?

"Glad to hear it", Garrus chimed it. "I'd hate to think we were almost killed and ended up leaving our objective behind".

Tali had never seen Garrus smile before. Then again, she couldn't remember hearing Shepard tell a joke, either. This was indeed a rare occasion, a phenomena she was fortunate enough to bear witness to.

Her back started to feel better.

"Yeah, not to mention all those poor monkeys you ran over, Garrus. At least they died for a good cause."

"Not again, Williams".

"No, what's the matter? It was a good death, a proud sacrifice. I'm sure their parents will give them extended eulogies and sing songs of their deeds for years to come".

"I told you, it was an accident", Garrus defended himself, apparently disdainful of Ashley's playful ridicule.

"Yeah, I know that. Besides, it's not worth crying over a few dead monkeys".

"No one is crying. Not you, not the commander, not Tali. We're fine. The mission was accomplished, and we made it out alive."

Garrus's efforts to sober up the Chief succeeding only in eliciting raucous laughter from the prosecutor. The turian security officer probably felt like he was on trial all the time, like he was always being judged and reviewed.

"You're right, Garrus", Tali found herself reassuring him. "You saved our lives back there, and we're very grateful".

"Aw", Ashley crooned with mock sympathy.

"You did pretty well yourself, Tali. Especially for someone without any formal training".

"Don't make me cry, turian. First dead monkeys, now heartfelt compliments? It's too much for a girl to handle!" Ashley was persistent in trying to rile the poor guy up with her verbal prodding. He ignored her this time.

"Thanks, Garrus. I tried my best, but-"

"Forget it, Tali", Shepard spoke up suddenly. The interior of the Mako suddenly grew quiet.

"You did well out there today. Mistakes can't always be fixed, but you can learn from them. Respect the chain of command next time, and you'll be fine" Shepard spoke firmly, but not aggressively. Tali felt a glimmer of hope when she heard the words "next time".

"Yeah, that took a lot of guts, kid", Ashley emphasized the term "kid", although she was only a few years older than Tali. "Just give me some warning before you go dashing out of the Mako to play superhero next time, okay?"

"I will. I'm sorry".

"Don't be sorry. Be safe. Do the job right, and you can keep your regrets down to a minimum. That's what Shepard has tried to tell me", Garrus offered his turian wisdom as gently as he could manage, and Tali accepted it like a fresh handful of omni-gel. The cabin fell silent for a moment as the Mako decelerated.

"Yeah, lots of good that did you, Garrus", Ashley resumed her taunt.

"That's enough. Normandy is inbound. Things got heated out there, but you did a good job. All of you".

Shepard's words seemed to satisfy everyone, whether they acted like it or not. Not since leaving the Citadel had so many people given so much of their attention to Tali. She was unused to people caring so much about her actions and thoughts, seeing her for who she was and not just another faceless quarian nomad.

"Thank you", was all she could manage as the Normandy's shadow plunged them into near-total darkness. The amber glow of holopanels and data displays offered only partial illumination of the Mako's quieted interior. In the blackness, she could hear the clinking of metal and buckles as the three of them loosened their armor and removed their helmets. Tali could not remove any of her armor, but stretched her aching shoulder nevertheless.


End file.
